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Benchmark Stories
This is a list of benchmark stories; every thousandth story specifically. Story 1,000 - (Thread 8, Story 67) This story spawned the theory of the "Thread Ghost" > Applejack "Celestia" 'Luna' *Various* --- >Uh, first I'd like ta thank y'all fer bein' here fer the unveilin' of mah own portrait window! My, this is powerful excitin' ... now, y'all know Ah ain't one fer long fancy speeches, so ... let 'er rip, Spike! Spike tugs the golden rope, and the curtains part, showing a grand stained-glass picture of Princess Applejack, wings spread against the background of a radiant sunrise. *Ooh!* *Aah!* *I really like her mane!* *And dat flank!* In her hooves she carries a horn of plenty, spilling fruity goodness into the frolicking throng of ponies below. Arrayed about her are little cherubic versions of the other royals, hard at paperwork while gazing approvingly at Applejack. Her stetson frames her imperious face like a halo, with golden laurels embroidered on its brim. The long, crimson ribbons binding her mane and tail ripple as if in an ethereal wind, and a motto is picked out against the red in golden orange. >Well, Ah dunno what ta' say, I'm mighty flattered! "As you should be, my dear Applejack. But ... was the motto really necessary? 'Pray let us look closer, dear sister ... ceterum autem censeo celestia esse culpam?' >Wull, it wouldn't be mah window if it weren't honest, now would it? Story 2,000 (Thread 16, Story 18) >AJ10 {BBB} --- >...Huh. When she had come down here, to the pleasant village of Neighbore for an interview with their mayor on his new policy of legalizing Changeling's attending schools(which most were sure was just a way to cover up his recent scandal involving the teacher of said school, among about six other ponies. At the same time.), she had expected to see happy ponies, a warm welcome, and possibly some cake. She liked cake. She didn't expect... well, nothing. She held up a picture. Then lowered it. Held it up. Lowered it. >...Something's off here. Raised it up. Lowered it. >... OH! When'd they move the candy shop over there? {...ERROR, MENTAL BLOCK DETECTED!} >No idea what ya' mean, BBB. Story 3,000 (Thread 25, Story 40) >SA "18" ~~~~~ >Hey, 18. Just checking in to see how you were holding up since I left- wow. "IT'S ALIIIIIIVE!" >Really? "I DON'T KNOW!" >Eeesh. Listen, after this, why don't you take a vacation, you know? I didn't mean to leave you before all this stuff piled in, helping Sombra just sort of happened. "Pfft, so worrying. It's fine." >Of course it isn't fine, this is way too much for one poor soul to handle. Trust me, I know first hoof. "Yeah, well, that's why you need me around, eh? So long as I'm here, it'll run perfect. It's fine." >...18, come on. "No, you need to come on. Me. Specifically." >...18. Her cocky air wavered, just a bit. "....It's fine." He sighed deeply, walking around the desk so that he could look at her face to face, and not through stacks of paper. >18... I wouldn't make you leave. Abruptly, the pen floating over a ledger started to shake and crack, and she looked away from him. >Even if Chrysalis went on a revenge kick, even if it looked like we were going to have a fight with the Changelings, I wouldn't make you leave. The shaking intensified, and the disguised mare just continued to stare at the wall beyond. >And I know it might be hard to believe, but I don't think Chrysalis would make you go either. She knows how much you care for this place, and deep down she does really want you, all of them really, to be happy. But if she did, if she tried to force you to go, and you wanted to stay... She couldn't hold back her choking noise anymore when he suddenly grabbed her, forelegs tight around her body. >...I wouldn't let her. All pretenses gone, she returned the embrace, tears spilling out onto his white coat. "I-I can't leave." >You'll never have to. "I c-can't go back to where I was. To being who I was. I wouldn't last. I need this place... I... I..." >Have a place here, always. I promise you. Her words failed her, and she just buried her face further into her neck. "I need... to be here. Here, with..." >It's okay. Something between a choked sob and a laugh came out. "Y-yeah... I guess it is. Shiny, I... I..." He waited, but nothing further came out. Not for a long, long time. "...Thanks." She couldn't see his smile, but she felt it. Felt it in the love that, even now, he subconsciously spilled out. Idly, she wondered if he even had the slightest idea how this felt... >No... thank you... It would be quite a long time before Shining Armor finally left that embrace, or it certainly felt like such, and left the room. Off to go and help a friend, as was his nature, but promising to return and allow her freedom to indulge in some pleasantries of her own. But the changeling he left behind had dried her tears by then, whisked away by an excited hoof, and the changeling had buried herself back into her work. That day, she would rectify three trade proposals, sign two bills into law, manage the funding for two different universities and even manage to catch a coffee break in there. She did this with a smile, and without complaining for once. She did it because her Empire needed someone to do this, and she was there. She did this... because Shiny needed her there. Because her home needed her there. And there... she would be. Story 4,000 (Thread 36, Story 5) >Chrysalis "Celestia" '???' ~~~~~ >HAH! Really? She's seriously doing this because she 'feels old'? "I know, right?" >Pfft, how's she going to feel in two decades or so? "Or mother forbid, a hundred years?" >Probably just lock herself away. "Such a shame she doesn't have your confidence in yourself." >Damn straight, trends bend to ME, not the other way around. Isn't that right Spiko? How she had known he was there, he could not say. But it annoyed him. 'Oh goody, can't wait for everyone to start being a random bi-' "I will get the soap-...what on earth are you wearing?" >PFTT! HAH! 'Don't ask, long story.' "..." '... Is something wrong?' "I... I keep waiting for her to go off on so many tangents." >Hm? Oh, I got all of those out of my system already. "Oh?" >Oh yeah, we already talked, I made a great many barbs at his lack of masculinity, we had fun. We have fun, don't we Short-Spike? Or Shike, as I am considering redubbing him? "..." >Because he's short. 'Oh yeah, me and her are just best buddies.' "You... literally spat fire." >Gag reflex finally kicking in?... Oh, what, that one was new. "Wait, if you saw him already, why did you laugh?" >Oh, you know, some jokes never grow old. Like... "...Like?" >Lost my train of thought. 'Shocking you had one at all.' >Well, someone lost his cosplay contest. Did you not... "...Again?" >Totally again, I am off my game. Must be low on love. Hey, you think Shiny's willing to give a quick refuel? I've got the perfect place he can put it! "And I'm sure he'll be more than happy to oblige... in another life." >So pessimistic. "Come along, Spike, we're going after Shiny to make sure Two's alright." 'I uh...' >.... 'Sure, I guess.' >...HAH! That's great, me and you never get to hang out anymore Scaleameo, what happened to that? 'Allergies, I guess.' Though her face didn't reveal a touch of it, Celestia's mind was currently spinning away. It looked normal, but something was... off. Something... Story 5,000 (Thread 47, Story 27) This was in a series of non-canon shorts where Spike was letting random people join the A Team to get back at AJ for kicking Diamond Tiara out. NC >Spike "AJ" '???' ~~ >YOU MONSTER! "What? 42, 77 and PJ already gave their okay, Ah' just asked." >THIS IS CRUEL! 'Hey, Lizardo? Is being sexy a weapon? Because if so, I don't want you to feel any more inadequate than you already are, I'm sure you're decent. Mostly. >WHY!? "That's fer' no more Dragon Snuggles!"